


Nevermind the End

by OfAGroovyMind



Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Canon Compliant, I swear cherik will be the end of me, M/M, Pre-Slash, What-If
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-25
Updated: 2016-05-25
Packaged: 2018-06-10 14:57:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,624
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6961726
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OfAGroovyMind/pseuds/OfAGroovyMind
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <em>What if Charles really did first meet Erik when he was 17 years of age? <em></em></em>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nevermind the End

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to get back into the game of writing, and I'm sure I'm rusty. I liked the idea from the 2000 X-Men movies where it was said that Charles and Erik met when Charles was 17 years old. So walla, I played with the world of what-if's, even if it had been an inconsistent for the timeline. I liked the idea of it happening.

Contrary to popular belief, among the gossip of New York City streets, through the whispers of all superficial beings, the meeting of Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr had not been entirely accurate. They did meet in the height of Erik’s chase to end Shaw’s reign of terror upon him, among the coast of Florida. Both would become a hefty union that would form the beginnings of an idea, the X-Men. However, it had not been during the murky waters of Florida that Charles saw the potential, nor did he first encounter Erik then. Charles had met Erik when he was 17 years old, about a decade prior to their “official” meeting.

“Charles?” The name was repeated, slurred. “Come here.” Heaving a sigh, a young Charles Xavier adjusted the tie of his school uniform. He then frustratingly ran fingers over his hair to smooth it out. His eyes, an endless bright blue, looked back at him from the mirror he was looking at. They were tired, and all he could do was repeat in a whispered mantra.

“One more year.” His mother—biological mother had put a strain on Charles, slumping into putting a break into her usual pattern of ignoring him. It probably had to do with the fact that Charles was going to inherit his father’s money once he turns 18 years of age. It won’t be long. He walked out of the room and straight out of the building with no acknowledgment towards the woman that was suppose to be his mother. Sharon Xavier had not been the cold woman she turned out to be before the accident, an explosion that would leave Charles without a father. He didn’t appreciate that it pained him his mother succumbed to alcohol, deep into it that she had re-married a man that would make his life a personal hell.

“One more year,” Charles repeated as he took the bus leading to the university. They were in England, the home he had learned to love and loathe at the same time. He was planning on moving to America soon as he was able to, possibly finish his Bachelors and go straight to his Masters, then Doctorate. Charles had plans, big plans. He wanted to accomplish it before he was in his mid twenties. The bus entered the last stop near the university and he walked out. People probably would wonder why the young heir to the Xavier fortune was taking the bus, and there was a reason. A few months ago he had spotted the same man that caught his attention. He always sat on the bench, waiting for the bus, but never got on. What was he waiting for, he always wondered? It also made Charles hone in on the reality of what buzzed within his complex mind. There were more people on buses to feed the perplexed hunger to seek out an answer to what he had dwelling within.

Out of habit, Charles had finished his studies early and stayed out all night. However, it was not a typical day when Charles first met Erik. He had gotten in another verbal fight with his biological mother, running out into the night air and deciding to explore the city instead of going home anytime soon. Still in his uniform, Charles sat down on the bus bench across the university. He closed his eyes and could hear the voices in the back of his mind. The fight he had with his mother had been because of those voices. She was in denial to what he could do. He always wiped those memories from her mind every time he lost control and showed signs of his ability.

 Charles was a strange boy, full of power beyond his capacities at the moment. He wasn’t sure what he was, but he knew it was something and he couldn’t possibly be the only one with unique abilities beyond the normal human.

 “Someone could take advantage of you out here.” Instantly turning his head towards the source of the voice, Charles calmly quirked an eyebrow.

 “Are you going to take advantage of me?” A deep chuckle resonated as the stranger he had seen on many occasions sat down on the other end of the bench. He then parted his mouth, purposely putting on a row of teeth that could resemble a shark’s.

 “I don’t make a habit of corrupting rich boys in the dead of the night. Waste of time.” Charles wasn’t sure how to confront what was occurring and decided to cross his arms across his chest, mumbling with an edge of fierceness to retort.

 “Maybe I am capable of corrupting you.” Another laugh, not quite authentic, reached Charles’ ears. There was a bitter taste to it, and it echoed the peak of something overwhelming that Charles couldn’t grasp. His mind wanted to reach out and unbury it, but he knew he couldn’t without being found out.

 “You? No. Not with what I’ve been through.” Charles wanted to ask more questions, but he didn’t. A silence followed and the whispers of thoughts wanted to infiltrate Charles’ mind. Following the silence came a bus, and Charles expected the stranger to get on it this time. He didn’t. It peaked Charles’ curiosity, having no proper excitement in his daily life.

 The daybreak would come about in a couple hours and it would be another day without sleep for Charles. He turned to look over at the stranger, who possibly wasn’t much older than him by a couple years. There was a shadow of acute tiredness he could see, and he couldn’t help but ask.

 “Where are you going?” The stranger lazily shrugged.

 “Somewhere. It’s time I leave.” It was then that Charles noticed the bag near the stranger’s feet. He’s seen him on countless occasions, and it never dawned on it that he was always carrying a duffle bag.

 “Somewhere must be better than here.” Charles didn’t know why he felt a gravitating pull towards a complete stranger. He wanted to peek into his mind, read the surface of his thoughts but with the lack of control he had, it could only be disastrous. With a blank expression, the stranger stood and took ahold of his bag.

 “Do you want to see something?” With nothing else, the man started to walk down the street and Charles had a moment of hesitation. Should he follow him? He stood up quickly and followed, soon catching up.

 “Do you plan on murdering me and disposing my body at my biological mother’s home? She’d probably not even notice I’m gone. However, I do warn you, I have a sister willing to hunt you down for revenge.” The stranger halted, looked at Charles with both eyebrows up before snorting and continuing.

 “If I had plans to kill you, I would have done it already.” They were soon at the small lake downtown where the streets were deserted. The water rippled, and the sky could be seen reflecting onto the surface of it. Charles leaned against the railing, and he wasn’t sure what prompted him to say what he said next. It could have been the water or the clearness of it with stars looking fresh; it could be the tiredness of hiding; it could have been anything that night.

 “I can read minds.” The stranger, as he had perceived, had a look of doubt, but then it transformed into curiosity.

“What am I thinking now?” It startled Charles a little to think the stranger was not telling him he was “crazy” as most would have done. Or brushed it off as a joke. It was the permission he needed before Charles was concentrating, the thoughts of the stranger brushing upon his: _I thought I was alone _. Charles grinned, and he could finally understand the gravitation he had felt towards the man. There was something about him, something akin to Charles.__

“You’re not alone.” Moving in closer, he saw as the stranger backed off, hands displaying the urge to defend if necessary. Charles shook his head, eyes shimmering with excitement as his breath shuttered with wonder.

“May I?” He had two fingers pressed together, forefinger and middle as he reached out. The stranger looked down at his hand and then towards Charles’ youthful face. He should leave, turn around and run, but the possibly of someone like him grounded him. As the stranger nodded, Charles closed the distance between them and he pressed his fingers against the side of Max’s head. No. Erik? Two names, conflicting against each other were what hit him as soon as he felt the overwhelming power of his telepathic abilities unleashing. Charles gasped as he saw images, rushing quickly. A horrific camp; a woman named Magda that Max was waiting for; Shaw, a terrible man; wandering from city to city, alone. Metal is what caught his attention, and he can see what it has done with the symbol of a coin being lifted with anger. Charles can tell Max had had enough when he pulled back, instinctually grabbing onto Charles’ wrist to stop him. Max looked beyond conflicted, torn between the prospect of finding someone like him and also having slight fear of it.

“Max, I am not going to hurt you. Please show me yours…?” Max didn’t let go of Charles’ wrist and instead said in a sharp tone.

“Erik.” He then let go of Charles’ wrist before moving the same hand and calling upon the metal coin in his pocket. It twirled around his fingers whilst Charles watched on with the pure wonder he’d shown when he first touched Erik’s mind.

“Fascinating.” There were many questions he wanted to ask, to explore with Erik and compare their unique abilities. Except he knew they couldn’t. Erik had plans of his own and Charles had his; their meeting came at an inconvenient time.

Turning to place a hand on the cold railing to look at the lake once again, the smile upon Charles’ face strengthens and he laughs. It was a laugh full of relief, as if he could finally find the secrets to the world. Erik was silent besides him but he soon faced the same way Charles did.

“You’re still going to leave.”

“I have to.” Charles knew even if he had found another person like him, it was not the time. He turned to look at Erik, with his handsome features aloof. Erik has been tainted by life, searching for something, possibly fueling the thirst for revenge he fostered within him. He was a fascinating person, and he was sure they would meet again. They had to meet again, when the time was right.

 “My name is Charles. Stay for a little bit longer, let me tell you of what I think we may be.” Erik, not fully trusting, hesitated. He decided to stay, and Charles didn’t have to get verbal acknowledgement to know. Erik had opened his mind up for Charles, briefly, and although most of it was guarded, Charles could still get the waves of strong emotions that cannot be hidden. Erik held onto a hint of a growing curiosity as if it would retaliate and sting him in turn, calculating even.

 “Alright, my friend. The word we’re looking for is mutant…” The night progressed as they talked, of the possibilities, of everything in-between and alienation in whole. Could there be more like them? Would peace be possible if more people like them appeared, made themselves public? Will separation occur? Cake or pie? Conversation led to nothing being held back. It had become clear their ideas were divided, but still Charles only wanted to know more about Erik and his view on the world. It seems he has been hurt, tarnished and thrown into a spiraling hate, one Charles wished he had time to heed. It became clear as the daylight broke onto the sky that their time had run out. Charles leaned onto the edge and placed his chin over his palm as he bent over to look at the water. It had gotten lighter thanks to the shining rays of the sun making its way everywhere. Chirping birds made it clear morning had arrived and the cars coming in at bigger numbers only perpetuated their time had truly ended.

 Erik allowed his mouth to form a brief smile, something becoming more rare as the years had passed. He held out his hand and Charles reached out, grabbing it into a firm handshake.

 “Until next time?” Charles nodded and his grin widened brightly as he responded.

 “Stay groovy, my friend.” Once he let go, Erik picked up his duffle bag and turned around before he made strides to walk across the street that would lead him towards the bus station. Charles pondered if the decision being made to part ways was wise after discovering something that could change everything. No, it was the right decision. Erik needed to do as he sought out, find his own path while Charles would surely find his.

 He would study genetic mutations of the human gene, of his own gene, and see that there would be answers to show the world before he could find people like him. In a swift brink of another decision, Charles called out Erik’s name. Erik turned around, and Charles focused with the amount of power left he could surge up by whispering.

 “Forget.” His mind brushed upon Erik’s own and he launched inside to take hold of the past few hours, to then wipe the memories. Erik grunted and closed his eyes, swaying backwards to lean against the lamppost near him. In a faze of confusion, the wayward man took a prolonged amount of seconds accumulating into a long minute before he could focus once again. Charles was gone by then, taking a nearby route that would lead him straight home. It would be a long walk, but he needed it to regain any amount of energy he felt drain from the ability to control his telepathy.

 Erik would not remember their meeting and go on. Charles would survive the rest of the year before reaching the proper age to get his trust fund and go on to study genetics. The choice Charles made would be one that he did not regret. He had met another person like him, and it had been enough. With the prosperous intellectual conversation they’ve had, he garnered hope. Years later, when he had jumped into the water to rescue a metal bending mutant, he knew who it had been before their minds touched.

 He also knew what to say.

  _“You’re not alone. Erik? You’re not alone.”_

 Later on, in undeniable future failure to assemble a beta team, Charles would remember the young man full of passion and drained of compassion taken from him. He never did tell Erik about their first meeting. The distractions of an inevitable mess and tear between their initial views would give him no time. Charles had lost a lot by the time he came to the point where he needed to find the ones that would truly take on the legacy of what would be the X-Men.

 He’s felt their minds, searched Cerebro and knew they are out there. They will come, and he will also find them. Erik will be lost to Magneto’s madness and it will dent Charles for a while before he would realize the idealist need for a humane society between mutants and humans is a necessity. There would be no one to stop him. Mutants were the future and harmony could be achieved no matter how unrealistic some may think.

 Charles had his calling, and it was the path he had tried to find on that one faithful night.

 


End file.
